"I warned 'em away--they are trespassing on Mr. Jallow's land," said the man, but his manner was much softened. Evidently the sight of the three young huntsmen had had a good effect. "Oh, so this is Mr. Jallow's land?" inquired Allen quickly. "Is this the part that is in dispute?" "I don't know nothin' about no dispute," was the sullen response, "but I know what my orders are, and I'm going t' carry 'em out." "Far be it from us to stand in the way of you doing your duty," remarked Will pleasantly. "But if you have been annoying these young ladies----" he paused significantly and looked at his two chums. "Oh, he--he didn't annoy us!" said Grace quickly. She wanted no unpleasantness. "I am glad of it," spoke Will. "Perhaps you will be glad enough to point out just where the boundary marks are," said Allen quietly. "We may be walking in these woods often, and we would not like to trespass if we can avoid it. Where is the dividing line?" The question evidently took the man by surprise. He seemed confused. "It's somewhere about here," he muttered. "I seen one of the stone piles a while ago." "Perhaps the young ladies were not trespassing at all," went on Allen. "In that case I have to point out that you have exceeded your authority. You may even be a trespasser yourself, on Mr. Ford's land. If you are, don't be alarmed. We shall take no extreme measures." "Huh! Think you're smart; don't you? Maybe you're a lawyer?" "I am!" was the quiet answer "And I know my rights, and those of my friends." "So that's the game, is it? You're tryin' t' establish a right here. Well, you can't do it! I order you off." "First show that you have the right," insisted Allen. "Where is the dividing line?" The man looked up and down through the woods. He went a little way backward, and then forward. Then he uttered an exclamation. "There it is--back of you!" he exclaimed. "You're all on Mr. Jallow's land now, and I order you off. Them stone piles are the points in the line. That big pine tree is another mark. The line runs right along here, and you're all trespassers." "Well, if that is the correct line, perhaps we are," agreed the young lawyer. "And we are willing to go--for the time being. But it looks to me as though those stone piles had been very recently put up, and the blaze on that tree is certainly a fresh one." "I don't know nothin' about that," growled the man. "All I was told was that this is the line, and to keep strangers off; so I'm going to do it!" "And we don't blame you," went on Will, recognizing that it would be poor policy to quarrel with a mere guard. "If we question this at all it will be with those in authority." "Huh! If you lock horns with Mr. Jallow you'll be sorry for it," said the guard. "Now you'd better go. My dog is getting uneasy."